​The historic Greenville Inn and Suites will reopen this fall under new management. Main Street Greenville, a division of Greater Greenville Development Foundation, purchased the property in June with intentions of rebranding and reopening the 36 room boutique hotel in September.

Peter Nimrod, Chief Engineer of the Levee Board said, “The Levee Board appreciates the partnership it has had with the Trop Casino Greenville over the past 24 years. They did a great job upgrading and maintaining the original buildings.” Nimrod continued, “In March, the Trop decided to not renew its lease. The Levee Board is thrilled that the Greater Greenville Development Foundation wanted to purchase the hotel. It is a win-win for downtown Greenville, GGDF, and the Levee Board. They will do an excellent job in preserving a downtown landmark and will run a very successful and unique hotel for visitors to stay while visiting Greenville."

The property was originally comprised of two free-standing structures. A bank on the corner of Walnut and Main was constructed in 1880, and the Levee Board Building, located approximately fifty feet to the south, was erected in 1883. The Levee Board acquired the bank building in 1919. The two served as the Levee Board’s offices for over 100 years. In 1997, the property was converted into a hotel. A third building housing the bulk of the hotel rooms was erected creating a courtyard between the two original buildings. The hotel underwent partial room renovations in 2018, and the Trop managed the operations until its closure in 2020.  Mississippi Levee Board President Kenny Rodgers said, “After 138 years, the Levee Board is very pleased to have this building in the capable hands of Greater Greenville Development Foundation.”

Main Street Greenville plans to breathe new life into the property by continuing renovations in the hotel’s common areas.  While still embodying the storied past of the buildings and the area surrounding them, a posh new design is planned for the lobby, breakfast area, fitness and business centers. “The original buildings have so much history and character. We plan to embrace the Italianate style of the building while adding modern finishes to create a truly unique Delta Southern experience,” says Greater Greenville Development Foundation’s CEO Daniel Boggs.

Refreshing guestrooms will boast the comforts of home, each with a convenient beverage station, microwave, and minifridge, fresh new bathrooms featuring walk-in showers, and crisp new bed linens. A remodeled fitness center and new business center will offer guests the opportunity to enjoy the conveniences of a modern hotel.

Entertaining guests beyond the hotel, Main Street Greenville anticipates the courtyard as the quaint backdrop to a variety of functions. A revitalization of that space is also planned to accommodate weary travelers, outdoor business meetings, and community functions.  

With the purchase of the inn, Main Street Greenville hopes to further its mission of being a catalyst of economic growth in Downtown Greenville. “The addition of this hotel to our portfolio puts our organization in the distinct position of growing with downtown,” Boggs continued, “we are the third Main Street organization in Mississippi to open a hotel and are excited about the opportunity to work with local businesses to create a harmonious enviroment.”

​To spur that economic growth, the reopening of the hotel under new management will restore 10-12 jobs lost to the COVID pandemic. Main Street Greenville seeks to hire hotel management and staff in the coming months. To apply for one of its positions, please email your resume to [email protected]. 

 
JACKSON, Miss. (June 17, 2021) – The Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) celebrated achievements of Mississippi Main Street Communities at the Annual Awards Luncheon in downtown Jackson. 
 
The annual awards luncheon honors Main Street directors, board members and volunteers and recognizes the most outstanding downtown development projects and events from Main Street communities in Mississippi. 

“After a year without face-to-face meetings, we are excited to celebrate the achievements of our Main Street communities again in person,” said Thomas Gregory, MMSA State Coordinator. “As difficult as 2020 was for our communities, we still saw economic growth in our downtowns and resiliency from the small businesses in our downtown districts.”
 
“Our local Main Street directors have worked tirelessly to provide services to small businesses and create innovative ways to connect people together during the pandemic, and we are proud to celebrate their successes at our annual awards,” Gregory added.
 
MMSA staff presented the 2021 awards to recipients from Designated Main Street programs throughout the state.
 
This year's award recipients are:
 
·       Aberdeen Main Street
·       Batesville Main Street
·       Biloxi Main Street
·       Team Cleveland Main Street
·       Main Street Clinton
·       Main Street Columbus
·       Main Street Corinth
·       Main Street Greenville
·       Main Street Greenwood, Inc.
·       Downtown Hattiesburg Association
·       Hernando Main Street Chamber
·       Kosciusko Main Street
·       Louisville/Noxapater Main Street
·       New Albany Main Street
·       Ocean Springs Main Street
·       Main Street Pascagoula
·       Picayune Main Street, Inc.
·       Senatobia Main Street
·       Starkville Main Street Association
·       Tunica Main Street
·       Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association
·       Vicksburg Main Street Program
·       Water Valley Main Street Association
·       West Point Main Street
 
2020-2021 MMSA Board President Steven Dick of Mississippi Power passed the gavel to 2021-2022 MMSA Board President Chris Chain of Renovations of Mississippi during the general business meeting.
 
In addition, the 2021 nationally accredited programs were recognized, as well as new MMSA communities, Pearl and Itawamba County, several new associate members, and Main Street directors who have served for 10 years or longer in their communities. 
 
The Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association was also recognized for winning the Great American Main Street Award in 2020, the most prestigious award given by Main Street America.
 
The Mississippi Development Authority, Entergy Mississippi, and Mississippi Power were recognized as corporate sponsors of the annual awards, and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Belinda Stewart Architects, and the Mississippi Urban Forestry Commission were recognized as event sponsors of this year’s awards program.
 
In 2020, Mississippi Main Street's Designated Communities generated 191 net new businesses, 52 business expansions to existing businesses, 584 net new jobs, 74 building rehabilitations and 746 downtown residential units. In addition, 75 public improvement projects were completed as well as 26 new construction projects in downtown business districts. More than $227 million was invested by the public and private sectors in 2020, and more than 22,185 volunteer hours were recorded. 

Every dollar spent in this organization results in $80 of private investment, the highest return on investment of any economic activity in the state.

Since 1993, MMSA has generated more than $5.8 billion in private and public investment (including more than $1.5 billion in public investment).

MMSA currently has 47 Designated Main Street Communities, four Network members, and 11 Associate members.
 
2021 Award Winners

Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) is a catalyst for the preservation and economic revitalization of Mississippi’s historic downtowns and districts. As a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program, MMSA helps lead a powerful, grassroots network consisting of more than 40 Coordinating Programs and over 1,200 neighborhoods and communities across the country committed to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. 

For individual project photos and awards narratives, please email [email protected].

For more information about MMSA, visit www.msmainstreet.com.

With only four months left until the 10th Annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival, Greater Greenville Development Foundation, the parent company of Main Street Greenville and the administrator of the festival, is busy making plans for the October affair.  After the cancellation of last year’s festival due to COVID-19, the organization is looking to reemerge in blockbuster fashion. Tuesday afternoon, Greater Greenville Development Foundation announced that Big Head Todd and the Monsters will headline the free Friday night concert in downtown Greenville. “The Friday night concert was one aspect we wanted to bring back to the festival,” said Daniel Boggs, CEO of Greater Greenville Development Foundation.  He continued “our entertainment committee worked very hard to find a band that exemplified the theme of the festival, while also attracting a cross-sector audience from within our region.”     
 
Big Head Todd and the Monsters certainly fit that bill. Co-founder Todd Park Mohr describes the band’s latest album, New World Arisin’, as, “straight up rock-pop”, while their previous decade of music includes a side project dubbed Big Head Blues Club, which paid homage to Robert Johnson.
 
The band’s uncanny ability to stretch their musical talents from mainstream hits like “Bittersweet” and “Broken Hearted Savior” to John Lee Hooker and Jimi Hendrix remakes, “Boom Boom” and “Room Full of Mirrors” makes them the proverbial saltine to the Delta hot tamale. “We couldn’t be more pleased to bring a band of this caliber to the Delta Hot Tamale Festival,” said Boggs of the announcement.
 
In their 30+ year career, Big Head Todd and the Monsters have sold out the famed Red Rocks Amphitheater 19 times, collaborated with legends B.B. King and John Lee Hooker, and charted 5 times on Billboard’s US Mainstream Rock Chart. They are sure to complement the Delta Hot Tamale Festival’s 3-day line-up of activities, which start with a Welcome Dinner Thursday night and close after a Saturday filled with cook-offs, crafts, kid’s activities, and local music acts.
 
For future announcements concerning the 10th annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival, organizers suggest following them on Facebook or visiting www.mainstreetgreenville.com. For more information on Big Head Todd and the Monsters, please visit www.bigheadtodd.com.